William Girdlestone Shellabear (1862–1947) was a "pioneer" scholar and missionary in

British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British Empire, British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. Unlike the ...

(today, part of

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

). He was known for both his appreciation of Muslim society and also his translation of the Bible into the

Malay language Malay ( , ; , Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ) is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language spoken primarily by Malays (ethnic group), Malays in several islands of Maritime Southeast Asia and the Malay Peninsula on the mainland Asia. The lang ...

.Vernon Cornelius
William G. Shellabear
National Library Board (Singapore), eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 4 April 2022.

Life and career

W. G. Shellabear, as he was generally known, was born at

Holkham Hall Holkham Hall ( or ) is an 18th-century English country house, country house near the village of Holkham, Norfolk, England, constructed in the Neo-Palladian style for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation), Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of ...

on 7 August 1862 in Norfolk, England, where his father was estate manager. He first went to

Malaya Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...

as a British soldier, then returned as a Methodist missionary, where he worked from 1891 to 1948. "He introduced and guided changes in attitudes towards Malays and Islam, which made it possible for Methodist missionaries to relate positively to Malays while maintaining the integrity of their evangelistic outreach." He helped Westerners appreciate "how Malay spirituality represented a genuine commitment to Islam, despite its failure to conform to the expectations of esternOrientalists". His appreciation of Malay language and culture made him promote Malay language schools, which brought him into disagreement with many missionaries who preferred to organise and teach at English-language schools. He produced a voluminous amount of writings, some of which were aimed at Christian Malays, some for Muslim Malays, some for missionaries coming to

, and some for scholars. These included ''Sejarah Melayu'' (

Malay Annals The ''Malay Annals'' ( Malay: ''Sejarah Melayu'', Jawi: ), originally titled ''Sulalatus Salatin'' (''Genealogy of Kings''), is a literary work that gives a romanticised history of the origin, evolution and destruction of the Malacca Sultanat ...

), ''

Hikayat Abdullah ''Hikayat Abdullah'' (حکایت عبدالله) is a major literary work by Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir, a Malacca-born Munshi of Singapore, composed in the ''hikayat'' genre. It was completed in 1845 and first published in 1849, making it one of ...

'' (The Life of

Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Abdullah bin Abdul al Kadir (1796–1854) ( '), also known as Munshi Abdullah, was a Malayan writer. He was a famous Malacca-born munshi of Singapore and died in Jeddah, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Munshi Abdullah followed his father's c ...

), a Malay hymnal, dictionary and grammar of Malay, and a translation of ''

Pilgrim's Progress ''The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come'' is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is commonly regarded as one of the most significant works of Protestant devotional literature and of wider early moder ...

''. He also collaborated with a Malay scholar, Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur (also known as Sulaiman bin Muhammad Nor), in joint publications such as ''Kitab Kiliran Budi'' (The Book of Wisdom, a collection of proverbs) and ''

Hikayat Hang Tuah ''Hikayat Hang Tuah'' ( Jawi: حکاية هڠ تواه) is a Malay work of literature that tells the tale of the legendary Malay warrior Hang Tuah and his four warrior friends – Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu – who li ...

'' (The Life of

Hang Tuah Hang Tuah ( Jawi: , from /tuha/ or /toh/ (توه)), according to the semi-historical ''Malay Annals'' (), was a warrior and Laksamana (equivalent to modern-day Admiral) who lived in Malacca during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah in the 15th cen ...

). According to John Roxborogh, " s grammar, dictionary, and Bible translation remained in print for decades". His scholarly activities involved him in the Straits Philosophical Society, the Straits Branch of the

Royal Asiatic Society The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, commonly known as the Royal Asiatic Society, was established, according to its royal charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encourag ...

(later known was the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society and now known as the

Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society The Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS) is a learned society based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Established in 1877, the society is dedicated to the collection, recording and communication of geographic, historical, and cultural i ...

), and the faculty of

Hartford Seminary The Hartford International University for Religion and Peace (formerly Hartford Seminary) is a private theological university in Hartford, Connecticut. History Hartford Seminary's origins date back to 1833 when the Pastoral Union of Connecti ...

. Shellabear is the founder of

MPH Group MPH Group Malaysia Sdn Bhd is a Malaysian group of companies best known for its book retailing and online retailing services as well as being involved in the printing, publishing and distribution of books and library services in Malaysia and Singa ...

, a publishing house that was founded in Singapore in 1890 as the Amelia Bishop Press and then renamed in 1893 as the American Mission Press, in 1906 as the Methodist Publishing House, in 1927 as the Malaya Publishing House, and in 1963 as the Malaysia Publishing House. For some years he was the chief editor of the Methodist Publishing House and from 1906 he was the editor of that firm's book series, Malay Literature Series. He was associated with the founding of the Straits Chinese Methodist Church, now the

Kampong Kapor Methodist Church Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (Abbreviation: KKMC) is located on Kampong Kapor Road in Singapore's Little India district. The church is approximately 300 metres from Jalan Besar MRT station. Founded in 1894, KKMC is one of the first Peranakan ch ...

in Singapore.

Personal life

Shellabear was married three times. He married his first wife, Fanny Marie (nee Kealy) (born 1895), the daughter of a medical practitioner, Dr John Kealy, in 1886. They had one son, Hugh Percy Shellabear (1891-1972), who in 1947 would be reported as working a general practitioner in Reading, Pennsylvania."Death of a Malay scholar"
''

The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' (also known informally by its abbreviation ''ST'') is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust. Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and ...

'',21 January 1947, Page 7. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Fanny died after a long illness on 15 March 1895. In 1897 he married Elizabeth Emmeline "Emma" (nee Ferris) (born circa 1862), a Canadian missionary with the

Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church (acronym WFMS of the MEC) was one of three Methodist organizations in the United States focused on women's foreign missionary services; the two others were the WFMS of the Free M ...

. In November of that year their first daughter Margaret Anna Shellabear (1897-1972) was born. After marrying, the latter was known as Margaret Gulland and in 1947 she was the principal of the Methodist Girls School in Klang, Malaya. Emma died in 1922. In 1924 he married Emma Naomi (nee Ruth) (1886-1972), a missionary to

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

who was then studying in

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. William Shellabear had a second daughter, Fanny Shellabear. After marrying she was known as Fanny Blasdell and in 1947 she and her husband, Robert Allen Blasdell (1892-1986),Pioneering Families with Roots in Madison County
madisoncountynewyork.com. Retrieved 4 April 2022. were working as Methodist missionaries in Malacca. After retiring from the Hartford Seminary, Shellabear continued his literary work until shortly before he died in Hartford, Connecticut on 16 January 1947.

Awards

* 1913: Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) -

Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University (abbrevriated OWU) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Ohio Valley, Centra ...

Works written, edited or translated by Shellabear

Works in Malay

*1901 (trans.) ''Aturan Sembahyang'' (The book of worship). American Mission Press. *1905 (trans., with Tan Cheng Poh) ''Cherita darihal Orang yang Chari Selamat'' (

Baba Malay In addition to its classical and modern literary form, Malay had various regional dialects established after the rise of the Srivijaya empire in Sumatra, Indonesia. Also, Malay spread through interethnic contact and trade across the south Ea ...

) (

The Pilgrim's Progress ''The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come'' is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is commonly regarded as one of the most significant works of Protestant devotional literature and of wider early moder ...

). American Mission Press. *1907 ''Pelajaran dri hal Isa Al Maseh'' (Teaching about Jesus Christ). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1908 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) ''Hikayat Hang Tuah'' (The life of Hang Tuah). Singapore: Malaya Publishing House. *1909 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) ''Kitab Kiliran Budi'' (The book of wisdom—a collection of Malay proverbs). Methodist Publishing House, Singapore. *1913 (trans., with Chew Chin Yong & Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) ''Perjanjian Bharu Bahasa Peranakan'' (

) (The New Testament, Peranakan language).

British and Foreign Bible Society The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply the Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world. The ...

& Bible Society of Singapore. *1915 (ed.) ''Hikayat Abdullah'' (The life of Abdullah). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1915 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) ''Hikayat Sri Rama'' (The life of Sri Rama). Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, no. 71. *1915 (ed.) ''Hikayat Seri Rama'' (The Ramayana epic). Royal Asiatic Society. Malay version found in

Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...

. *1917 ''Sha'ir Puji Pujian'' (The hymnal). Singapore: Methodist Book Room. Later editions through 1947. *1918 ''Kitab Undang Undang Methodist'' (The Methodist book of discipline). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1921 ''Hikajat Perhimpoenan Methodist'' (The history of Methodism). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1924 (ed.) ''Sejarah Melayu'' (History of the Malays). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1948 ''Cherita Ibrahim'' (The story of Abraham). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1948 ''Sha'ir Nabi Yang Berpengasihan'' (The story of the beloved prophet). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Beberapa Sha'ir dri hal Kerajaan Allah'' (The story of God's kingdom). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Cherita Yang Sempurna'' (The perfect life). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Hikayat Beni Israel'' (The history of Israel). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Hikayat Musa'' (The story of Moses). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Hikayat Ruth'' (The story of Ruth). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Hikayat Yusuf'' (The story of Joseph). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Tafsir Injil Lukas'' (A commentary on Gospel of Luke). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1949 ''Tafsir Yahya'' (A commentary on John). Singapore: Methodist Mission. *1955 (trans.) ''Cherita darihal Orang yang Menchari Selamat'' (Standard Malay) (The pilgrim's progress). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

Works in English

*1891 (with B. F. West) Triglot Vocabulary (English, Chinese, Malay). Singapore: American Mission Press. Later editions by Methodist Publishing House. *1898 "Some Old Malay Manuscripts." Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. *1899 Practical Malay Grammar. Singapore: American Mission Press. *1901 "The Evolution of Malay Spelling." Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. *1902 Malay-English Vocabulary. Singapore: American Mission Press. Later editions by Methodist Publishing House, 1912, 1925. *1913 "Baba Malay." Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, no. 65. *1913 The Influence of Islam on the Malays: An Essay Presented to the Straits Philosophical Society. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1915 Mohammedanism as Revealed in Its Literature. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1916 English-Malay Dictionary. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1917 "Introduction to the Hikayat

Sri Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda'' ...

." Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, April, pp. 181–207. *1918 (trans.) Autobiography of Munshi Abdullah. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. *1919 "Christian Literature for Malaysia." Muslim World 9, no. 4. *1919 Islam's Challenge to Methodism. New York: Board of Foreign Missions. *1925 "The Moslem World, Why We Need It." Muslim World 15, no. 1. *1930 "An Exposure of Counterfeiters." Muslim World 20, no. 4. *1931 "Can a Moslem Translate the Koran?" Muslim World 21, no. 3. *1931 "Is Sale's Koran Reliable?" Muslim World 21, no. 2. *1932 "The Meaning of the Word 'Spirit' as Used in the Koran." Muslim World 22, no. 4. *1933 "A Malay Treatise on Popular Sufi Practices." The Macdonald Presentation Volume. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. *1939 "Dr. Kraemer on Islam." Muslim World 29, no. 1. *1945 (with Vernon E. Hendershott) Dictionary of Standard Malay. Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Publishing Association. *1946 "The Gospel for the Malays." Muslim World 36, no. 3.

References

Bibliography

Sources

*Hunt, Robert A. 1996. ''William Shellabear: A Biography.'' Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia : University of Malaya Press. *Hunt, Robert A. 1998. "Shellabear, William Girdlestone". ''Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions'', ed. By Gerald Anderson, p. 617 . New York: Simon & Schuster. *Roxborogh, John. 2000. "Shellabear, William Girdlestone." ''Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions'', ed by A. Scott Moreau, p. 871. Grand Rapids: Baker Books and Carlisle, Cumbria: Paternoster. *Satari, Paul Russ. 2001. "Shellabear, William Girdlestone." ''A Dictionary of Asian Christianity'', ed. By Scott Sunquist, p. 759. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shellabear, William 1862 births 1948 deaths People from Holkham Hartford Seminary alumni British missionary linguists Translators of the Bible into Malay Translators of the Bible into the languages of Indonesia English Methodist missionaries Methodist missionaries in Malaysia British expatriates in Malaysia People educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College Graduates of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich Linguists of Malay English orientalists